maclean



PATENTED FEB. 16, 1904.

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A. J, MAGLBAN. MEANS FOR LOOKING ORfUNLOGKING RUDDBRS.

APPLIUATIQH FILEIi NOV.13.'1908. no menu.

lx i-l -n-eooeo- 4 1 i 1 I I IN: NOWVS PETE CO, PHOTO L 'PATENTED FEB.16, 1904.

, IA'. J.YMAGLEAN. MEANS FOR LOOKING OR'UNLOGKING RUDDER'S.

NPI 'LIGATION FILED NOV. 13. 1903.

- a SHEETS 150 MODEL.

E E E E E E E E'E F EE EE E E E I II ii 1m: wuss Pmns ca, mcmun rum 4UNITED STATES Patented February 16, 1904.

PATENT Orricn.

MEANS FOR LOCKINGIJR UNLOOKING RUDDERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 752,086, dated February16, 1904.

Application filed. November 13, 1903. derial No. 181,006. (No model.)

To a, whom, it may concern:

, Be it known that I, ALEXANDER J. MAC- LEAN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Meansfor Locking or Unlocking Rudders, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention relates to means for locking and unlocking therudders of boats, and more especially boats having rudders at both ends,one of the prominent objects of the invention being to insure thepositive locking and also permitthe unlocking of either rudder from arelatively remote point or station on the boat.

Another object is the disposition of those parts which more immediatelycoact with each rudder-post to lock and unlock the same, so

that such parts will not be. subject to interferonce by reason offreezing up or on account of improper position of the rudder. Positive-7 ness and facility of actuation of the connections controlling thelocking devices more nearly adjacent to each rudder-post alsoconstitutes an important feature. With the above and other purposes inView the invention comprises a boat having a rudder at each end andequipped with rudder locking and unlocking means, such means including abolt or engaging element conditioned to be-so controlled that in thelocking operation the bolt or element will automatically attain itsrudder locking or engaging relation only when the rudder to which itmore especially appertains shall occupy a longitudinal position withrespect to the boat. In so far as this feature is concerned it will begenerally applicable for rudder-locking purposes. For reasons previouslyintimated the rudder locking and unlocking devices are preferably solocated as to be protected from undesirable or accidental interferenceby virtue of their inboard position. The connections for actuating thelocking and unlocking parts more nearly adjacent to the rudder-post areof a character insuring their positive working as well as conducing toease of operation.

There are other important features connected with the invention whichbesides those alluded to are clearly set forth in the subsequentdetailed description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figurel is a diagrammatic plan view illustrating the general arrangement anddisposition of the improved locking and unlocking means applied to aboat having a rudder at both ends. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional detailview of one of the end portions of a boat and showing particularly therelation of the locking and unlocking parts more immediately coactingwith the rudder. Fig. 3 is a central vertical detail sectional View, onan enlarged scale, of the deck at one end of the boat and disclosingcertain of the lock ing and unlocking devices. Fig. A is a detail viewillustrating the arrangement of lever and immediate connections foreffecting the locking and unlocking operations. Figs. 5 and 6 are viewssomewhat similar to Fig. 3, but illustrating other arrangements of thelocking and unlocking parts adjacent to one of the rudders.

Similar reference characters are employed to designate correspondingpartsin the several figures of the drawings wherein they occur.

The boat will of course be equipped with suitable steering gear ordevices, the illustration of which in view of the character of thepresent invention has been regarded as unnecessary, and is thereforeomitted.

As indicated in Fig. l, a rudder-post A- turns in suitable bearings ateach end of the boat, it being understood that each postcarries a rudderbeneath the overhang at that end of the hull where said rudder islocated. As will be noted by reference to Fig. 2, a chamber or clearanceis provided at each end below the deck G, in which chamber the post ofthe rudder B is mounted, and to'the upper extremity of said post is thehub (Z of a horizontal quadrant-shaped metal frame D, occupying aposition a short distance below the deck. This quadrant is located atthe inner side of its post, and its arc portion is presented by ahorizontal curved plate cl, having a relatively-extended vertical outerface. This bar contains at a mid-point a horizontal opening 01 which atits outer end has a flaring or conical mouth at (See Fig. 8.)

From one of the deck-beams 0 depends a hanger E, which is enlarged atits lower portion to present a boss 6, having a horizontal openinglocated in a horizontal plane common with that of the opening dSuspended from certain of the deck-beams at each end of the hull aresuitable guides ff, each of which is adapted for sustaining andpermitting the longitudinal movements of a horizontally-extended rod F.This rod, as well as other rods to be presently referred to and whichperform similar functions, is preferably composed of suitable lengths oftubing, which are pinned together at their adjacent ends. That extremityof the rod F which is zontiguous to the hanger E is provided with a.horizontal locking bolt or pin G, the free and of which bears and issupported in the )pening of the boss 0. I prefer that the ex- ;remity gof this bolt shall be slightly taperng o'r conical.

By again referring to Fig. 1 it will be ob- ;erved that the positions oftwo pilot-houses H H are illustrated by dotted lines. It will |.lso benoted that the rod F extends longitulinally to a point somewhat in thevicinity of he pilot-house H, where said rodis connect- :d with one ofthe members of a bell-crank ever I, the other member of which hasatached thereto the inner end of a shorter rod T, transversely disposed,as illustrated. The vther end of this rod F is connected with one f themembers of a bell-crank lever I, the ther member of which has pivotallyattached hereto a longitudinal rod F of the extended haracterrepresented. This rod is of such ength that its other extremity ispivotally seured to one of the members of a bell-crank ever 1 appositelylocated at one side of the ilot-house H, the other member of saidbellrank lever having pivotally connected therevith a short transverserod F extending withn the pilot-house last mentioned. The several ods F,F and F are slidingly supported in :uides depending from below the deckand imilar in character to those already described, he brackets forsustaining the bell-crank le- 'ers being also suitably connected at theunder ide of the deck. The rudder-post A at the pposite end of the boatalso carries a rudder nd is located within a chamber similar to thatreviously explained, said rudder-post having ecured thereto aquadrant-shaped frame D, ontaining a central opening in a horizontallane common with the opening in a hanger rranged similar to the hanger Eand in coresponding coactive relation. A rod J is susended in suitableguides at the under side of 1e deck and carries at its free extremity a)cking bolt or pin designed to perform the ime functions with respect tothe frame D s does the bolt G with respect to the frame The rod J isoperably connected with the ilot-house H through the medium of bellranklevers K, K, and K and rods J, J 1d J arranged in a manner similar tothe rods and bell-crank levers previously described, but obviously inthe reverse relation illustrated.

As the disposition and character of certain parts within the pilot-houseH are the same as the corresponding parts within the pilot house H, adescription of such parts within one of the houses will suffice for anunderstanding of both.

By reference to Fig. 4: it will be seen that the inner end of the rod Fis connected to one of the members of a bell-crank lever 1 pivotallysupported below the deck-beams, the other member of said bell-cranklever having pivotally attached thereto the lower extremity of avertical rod F movable in appropriatelylocated guides it below the floorof the pilothouse. The upper end of said rod F is pivotally connected toone of the members of a bell-crank lever I, pivotally supported a shortdistance below the floor it of the pilot-house, the other member of saidlever being connected by a link i with the lower end of a lever L,pivoted in a bracket Z, secured on the bottom of said floor, the leverabove said bracket extending through a suitable opening in the floor ina position convenient for operation by the pilot. Secured on the flooris an arched guide Z, having stops or lugs adapted to be engaged by thelever and retain the same in either of the two positions to which it maybe thrown at each side of a central position.

From the description thus far it will be readily understood thata pilotbefore leaving the pilot-house H locks the rudder B accurately in alongitudinal position. This is accomplished by throwing the lever L tothe in position and engaging the same with the lug thereat, so as toretain said lever as thus thrown. The movement of the lever referred towill, through the medium of the rod and bell-crank lever connections,have a tendency to project the bolt or pin through and beyond theperforation in the boss 6. rudder D is not accurately in a longitudinalposition, the lever cannot be moved to its full extent in the desireddirection, inasmuch as the extremity of the bolt will be in contact withan imperforate portion of the curved plate (Z of the frame D. The pilot,however, maintains the position of the lever to the limit of theinclined position permitted until the rudder has moved to an extentresulting in the frame perforation 61 coming into longitudinal alinementwith the opening in the boss, whereupon, as will be manifest, the leverwill complete its movement of inclination and the bolt consequently beprojected to an extent that will result in its becoming engaged withinthe perforation of the frame D. The lever L is located immediately backof the steering-wheel, which enables the pilot to manipulate the leverwith one hand while nursing the rudder into a central position. Thussaid frame and its related rudder will be locked in aposition wherebythe latter will be positively held in a strictly lon- If, however, the

mouth and conical end will under such condition permit the bolt end tocome to a full-centered position within the opening 0Z The lookingoperation of the rudder B having been accomplished, as described, thepilot then leaves the pilot-house H and enters the pilot-house H, atwhich time it becomes desirable to release the rudder at the other end,which had been previously locked, as will be understood The unlocking ofsaid last-mentioned rudder is manifestly accomplished by throwing thelever to the out position, which results in the actuation of the severalrods and bellcrank connections J K &c., and effectsthe disengagement ofthe bolt or pin adjacent to the frame D and the consequent unlocking ofthe rudder of the same. It will be appreciated that with the lockingmeans conditioned as described the same are not only susceptible ofactuation with comparatively little effort on the part of the pilot,but-that the rudder can only be locked when in its proper longitudinalposition, and, further, that the failure of the actuating connections torespond to their operative limit will positively convey to the pilotknowledge of the fact that the locking operation has not been completed.The importance of this will be fully realized.

The locking and unlocking means may be modified in many particulars andstill be within the scope of my invention. For instance, in Fig. 5 Ihave represented an arrangement whereby one of the connections leadingfrom the pilot-house is presented by a vertical revoluble rod M.supported and sustained in suitable bearings msay, for instance, by acollar mthe lower end of said rod having secured thereon a gear wheel N,meshing with the similar wheel N on the end of a stub-shaft O',revolving in a suitable hanger 0 and having a threaded portion 0. Thisshaft 0 is restrained from longitudinal movement in its bearing by acollar and setscrew 0 Upon the threaded portion of the stub-shaft is aturnbuckle P, adapted through the revolution of said shaft to beadvanced or retracted, according to the direction of retation, the outerend of said buckle being provided with a square bolt 39, normallyresting within the opening at the lower end of a hanger Q, which, it isto be understood, is in apposite relation with respect to aquadrantframe having a centrally-located opening, as has heretofore beenexplained. The rotation of the rod M in one direction or the other willpalpably cause the advancement of the i l the latter alines therewith.

turnbuckle and the projection of the bolt to engage the frame, orretraction of said turnbuckle and disengagement of the bolt, as the casemay be.

In Fig. 6 I have shown an arrangement whereby a vertically -disposedsprocket or wire-rope chain R is in gear at its upper end with a wheel(not shown) the rotation of which can be readily effected throughsuitable connections extending to the appropriate pilothouse. The chainor wire rope R is also in gear with a sprocket-wheel s on the end of astub-shaft S, revolving in a suitable hanger T, but held againstlongitudinal movement, the threaded portion 8' of said stub-shaftcoacting with a turnbuckle U and bolt u in a manner evident from anunderstanding of the construction disclosed in Fig. 5.

As before intimated, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myselfto the constructions and arrangements of parts shown and described, butreserve the right to all modifications that may be within the scope ofmy in vention.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In rudder locking and unlocking means, the combination with a rudderand a horizontally-movable frame connected therewith and embodying acurved plate containing an opening, of a bolt repressed by said plate ateither side of the opening, but adapted to enter the latter and lock theframe when the rudder is in a central position.

9. The combination with a boat and its rudder, of a horizontally-movablepart connected with the rudder, a bolt repressed by said part when therudder occupies a central position, said horizontally-movable partadapted to become engaged and locked by the bolt when the rudder is in acentral position, and connections extending to a relatively remote pointon the boat for operating the bolt.

3. The combination with a boat and its rudder, of a horizontally-movableframe connected with the rudder and embodying a curved plate containingan opening, of a bolt repressed by said plate at either side of saidopening, but adapted to enter the latter and lock the frame when therudder is in a central position, and connections extending to arelatively remote point on the boat for operating the bolt.

4.. In rudder locking and unlocking means, the combination with a rudderand a horizontally-movable frame connected therewith and embodying acurved plate containing an opening with an outer flaring mouth, of apart suitably supported in juxtaposition to said plate and containing anopening, and a bolt movably bearing in the opening of said part andrepressed by the frame-plate at either side of its opening, said bolthaving a conical free end adapted to enter the plate-opening when &752,086

5. The combination With a boat having a rudder at each end, of ahorizontally-movable part connected With said rudder, a bolt inapposition to and repressed by each part When the rudder thereof is ateither side of a central position but engage and lock said part Whensaid rudder is central, and connections each operable independently ofthe other, and each extending from one of the bolts to a relativelydistant point permitting the operation IQ of its particular bolt.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,this 6th day of November, A. D. 1908.

ALEXANDER J. MACLEAN. Witnesses:

OHAs. L. WOLF, CHAS. S. CLAGETT.

